What Casting Directors Want, Audition Mistakes to Avoid & Quarantine Life | Ep 35

MAX: 00:13
Welcome to two unemployed actors. I'm Max.

SAM: 00:15
I'm Sam.

MAX: 00:17
And we've got a great show for you today. So make sure you like, subscribe, tell your friends, and all that exciting stuff. Get the admin out of the way. You know, just say, hey, follow these guys. They're amazing. Um how you doing, Sam? You good?

SAM: 00:28
I'm good. How are you, Max?

MAX: 00:30
Oh, pandemic life is starting to grow on me. I set my alarm five different times this morning before I actually got out of bed. I'm like, no, another half hour. No, another half hour. No. I'm just like, oh come on. Even the dog was confused. Like, what the hell, mate? Come on.

SAM: 00:42
I think we all know that mood. We all know that mood.

MAX: 00:44
So I turned it around though. Anyway, I've got I've got stuff to talk about. First of all, first of all, me being a detective again. It's going, it's going to happen. It's confirmed. So yes, I went and followed up because I thought, you know, what's let's find out a bit more. Like at the way he worked and his previous work and everything, I got it. It's okay. And even then, okay, well, I've just embrace it. Embrace your embrace the police officer inside me. No, I because embrace the role stereotype next. Indeed. Embrace the stereotype. Anything that gets me a job that pays in the end of the day, you know, I don't mind. I mind. Yeah, the interrogation just dropped uh obviously a few weeks ago, which was the short film I did just before Christmas. And obviously, I'm a police officer, a police detective. And then I'm thinking to myself, do I want to do it again? I had a chat, a bit more detail. It's kind of the tortured hero sort of thing, but he turns up at the house, and it's kind of like this opening sequence of him walking through the house and he's looking all tortured and what the hell? And there's all that sort of unspoken, serious intensity going on. And what you realise later on, it's his family that died. So he's not a character that goes throughout the short film. It's this whole opening sequence-y thing. But there's a there's a sequel, there's a follow-up being written as we speak, which is this guy. Yeah, hopefully. Uh well depends how it goes really. At this one day of shooting. We'll see.

SAM: 02:09
Yeah, very cool. Very cool.

MAX: 02:11
But uh so that that's going to well, I mean, it's going to happen, but whenever the world gets back to whatever normal is, uh I to tell him I'm I'm still in that play called Lipstick, and that's my priority. So 'cause I've committed to that first. So when that lands, I'll know when the other dates I can work on this one. And I don't know. Hopefully it's before Christmas.

SAM: 02:30
Yeah, well, technically I'm still in Spring Awakening as well, and we had our first um or my first um Zoom Zoom rehearsal kind of thing. Wow, how does that work? So yeah. It's weird, right? Because we you kind of have to just walk through the script um and like kind of there's a bit of delay between each line and everything. But but they're still wanting to put it on. It will be delayed, obviously, but um they're still wanting to put it on. It was very funny. I was using this mug. You know how in Zoom you can put like virtual backgrounds?

MAX: 02:59
You can.

SAM: 03:00
Oh, it's a green mug on a virtual background on the green, and it was like a green screen mug, and I was like moving it like this. It was quite funny.

MAX: 03:09
Um That's your that's your key takeout from rehearsals.

SAM: 03:13
Exactly.

MAX: 03:13
Of making Zoom more interesting.

SAM: 03:15
No, have to learn some Latin and some Latin pronunciation and stuff. Oh really? So yeah, because it it's a it's a um it's a weird one. It's kinda it's set in I think it's a German play first, and then it's a musical now. But there was Latin and stuff. It's it's old.

MAX: 03:35
Three different languages now?

SAM: 03:36
I I have honestly don't know. No, you have to read the script.

MAX: 03:39
Don't just look at it.

SAM: 03:40
I have read it. I gotta read the Did you understand it? Yes. I gotta read the play script, actually. Um I gotta read the play um script because we're doing the musical, but the director wanted us to read the play just so we get more of a context for it. My role is quite like I can't even explain it really on the podcast since this is a PG podcast.

MAX: 04:01
Oh really? No, go on, go for it. I can just have a minute of dips. No, no, no.

SAM: 04:04
No, no, no. I can well I'll tell you real quick.

MAX: 04:06
Is your character a real arsehole or something?

SAM: 04:08
No, okay, so he has a uh like a wank scene on stage.

MAX: 04:14
Right. So he's masturbating himself on stage?

SAM: 04:18
Yes, and ejaculates on Right.

MAX: 04:22
Okay. I can see you're still having difficulty with this because you can't get the seconds out without laughing.

SAM: 04:27
Yeah, no, and reaches a climax on s like like during the climax and the music as well. Um then he also he has a he has a uh a gay hookup scene as well. Um so it'll be a challenge, one I've not done before. But then he also so my the actor who plays my character Hunchin also plays usually plays another character within like a kind of like so the lead character's kind of sent off to kind of a make you more mature school or whatever, you know, like kind of just just taking a step back, um how exactly has the director talked to you about that particular scene where you're performing on the side. We haven't got to it, I've only done two rehearsals. I've only done two rehearsals.

MAX: 05:13
So he hasn't said to you, look, look, there's nudity involved, or you've just got to have your you're fully clothed, but your back's to the audience, or there's been another.

SAM: 05:20
She has not, we haven't gotten up to that to that.

MAX: 05:23
Does that concern you?

SAM: 05:25
No.

MAX: 05:26
In her mind, this might be this vision of you just strutting out on stage fully naked. Okay.

SAM: 05:30
I don't think I'm actually going to be fully It's a uni production. Keep in mind it's a uni production.

MAX: 05:35
Which is why I'm worried, because what do they like at uni? Lots of alcohol and nudity, so um I'm Learning Something's a distant third.

SAM: 05:45
If one thing I've I've picked up over time um in myself is that, you know, as you get not necessarily, but for me at least, you know, I've been acting for a while now and I've become more comfortable with myself, my confidence has built especially over the past two years and all this stuff. I'm I know that I'm an actor, I know that I can take on a challenge and I'll do it, and I'm happy to do it, and I'd look forward to doing it. Um whatever it is. But there's a cool scene where like he's another character and and and he kind of like attacks the lead with kind of like a knife and there's quite a violent scene, and I'm looking forward to that as well. So it's gonna be cool, hopefully. Wow, for sure if it actually happens.

MAX: 06:23
From stage fighting with another character to fighting with yourself in an intimate moment. That sounds exciting. Do you have to masturbate to the beat being a musical, or is it part of some elaborate dance scene? I'm sorry, I just can't move past this. I mean it'd be like it'll be like the first thing I talk about with the directors like how you want to represent doesn't matter. It's okay. Oh god. I'm not sure if I want to see this play now.

SAM: 06:48
Don't come.

MAX: 06:50
I've with that guy in the audience going, come on, Sammy, you can do it.

SAM: 06:59
I'm gonna go home and do my hair. Come on. You do it. Is that you? You better be you. Yep, might you have a higher pitch movement? Come on, Sammy, hurry up. That's what I'm doing. That's what I was saying weeks before how like if it's streamed, it's gonna be like soft porn.

MAX: 07:19
It's quite interesting, especially if the screen freezes at a certain point in time.

SAM: 07:23
Anyway, moving on from My scene isn't even the worst. There's like a full sex scene and all this stuff. It's a very intense uh musical.

MAX: 07:31
It sounds like a Madonna concert from the 90s, but uh okay.

SAM: 07:35
The one you were at.

MAX: 07:37
I didn't get to go, actually. I had rowing. Isn't that horrible? I had to do rowing training and I missed out the con. She's jogging past, she's jogging around Alba Park. Like I'm rowing on the lake. I can't even see her in concert. I was so mad about that. I'm I'm I'm almost over.

SAM: 07:56
I had an audition yesterday.

MAX: 07:59
What for?

SAM: 08:00
I had it for uh it was something applied to on Star Now. I've still been applied on Star Now. Great. Um it's a it says branded film, but it's like I think it's like a commer it's a commercial. I think it's a commercial. Um they call it branded film. It's fifteen hundred bucks if I get it, so that's good onion special.

MAX: 08:18
Well that's worth an application, yeah.

SAM: 08:20
Yeah, so I recorded it by myself because it it was only my lines that were needed, plus the super and plus one line from the dad or whatever, but wasn't needed. Um sent it off and we'll find out soon.

MAX: 08:33
Awesome. Good luck, break your leg, all that stuff, because uh there's still opportunities out there. You have to look a bit harder and work a bit harder. Yeah, I can see that. It's quite interesting. Uh it looked like you're practicing for the play, but uh anyway.

SAM: 08:46
Got a bit cabin fever.

MAX: 08:56
I got to hear Kirsty McGregor on Instagram live with Backstage, uh, which was fantastic. Thanks to Backstage for organizing that because there was a few hundred of us uh all keen to listen to what it takes to make it in the casting director's room.

SAM: 09:09
So is that through Backstage's Instagram?

MAX: 09:11
Instagram, that's correct. That's correct. And uh uh look, it was really it was really interesting, and I think sometimes you can get a lot more information out, like they're comfortable in their own environment. It's it's I know it's not one-on-one because questions are coming through to Backstage, obviously they know that's because he knows his viewers, but I I feel and because it's more industry people, I feel like that that you get a bit more information, which is great than what you normally get. Um it was really interesting. So I mean things I learned like she's happy to take submissions direct. Uh I I mean by submissions I mean allowed you to you can send her your show reel invitation to a player you're in, all that sort of stuff. She's she's one of the few, I think, casting directors who's happy to take that. Obviously, there's a lot of stuff that comes in, and she's really busy casting non-stop, but uh you know, it helps you get in front of her. It's another way to get in front of a a really successful casting director in Australia. Yeah.

SAM: 10:08
Talking about Kirsty McGregor, she's also she'll be viewing so this actor competition, which I think I spoke about last week. Oh right. Um which Grant wants me to enter and and Jess to enter. Um well the Kirsty McGregor's gonna view see it. Um it's like five hundred dollars uh prize money, you get like a camera set. There's a bunch of other stuff. Uh not sure um headshot package, all this stuff. Talk to an actual agent and all this. Yeah.

MAX: 10:36
I I don't think she accepts bribes, so probably not all that. But but yeah, good chuck in the comp. That was a question I was gonna ask, just ran out of time. Right. Apart from taking she even even even takes uh even casts sometimes, sometimes rarely, uh actors who aren't represented. So, you know, you yeah, so obviously she's cast people before who weren't represented. I think sometimes it depends on the brief, like if they're looking for something really specific with a really the skill you can't fake, maybe they're gonna look for an unknown who's good at that skill and not yeah. Remember Breathe and and or Breath Breath, pardon me. That movie, uh the Aussie movie about the surfers and how they actually went and found two great young surfers who hadn't acted before and just workshopped them to death and and worked on all the scenes and everything with I mean the director being a successful actor helps too. Uh because it's easier than trying to get professional actors at that age, at that young age, and train them up to be able to be professional surfers, which I think is right. I just end up killing myself on the wave.

SAM: 11:35
But well, I guess what what what's easier to to train up real surfers to act or real actors to surf?

MAX: 11:44
Well, what he what in this particular example, what he wanted to do was get not like other surfing movies, get out really close to the character in the water. You can't you can't fake that, like you can't CGI that that's just not in the budget. No, it's not a not a Disney production, it's an indie Aussie film. But uh so anyway, she does take people sometimes unrepresented, and obviously being the go-to casting director for neighbours in Australia. Um I think 10 years now, I think she's been casting director for neighbours. So basically, if a character comes up, she'll seek uh submissions from agents around the country. The fact that you're not in Melbourne isn't a big thing. Sometimes there might be a budgetary constraint and they might have to take only Melbourne, but absolutely send it nationally, and 300 uh 300 submissions end up on her desk, so obviously assistants have filtered. And of the 300, roughly 30 will make it into the room. And because neighbours is really fast, they shoot quick, uh, the directors are busy, so the director's not in the room, and you've probably got you know less than 10 minutes, five to ten minutes. But you you know, you and sometimes you know, roughly two takes. So like a like a a normal you know, guest-y uh um audition, I suppose, uh because they're just pressed for time, so it's really only the casting director there, and then she takes from the 30 her recommendation and presents that recommendation to the producers, who then say, Yeah, brilliant, or no. Uh so it and it and look, what gets you in the room? I mean, it depends on the brief, doesn't it? Because a good casting director isn't gonna go, hey, I remember you, you paid 500 bucks to come see me talk about how to get casts, so you come in. It's it's about how am I gonna best satisfy the brief and and work back from there as you'd expect. Yeah.

SAM: 13:35
And like you said, depending on the depending on the brief, they'll go to agents or not. You know, if they're looking for a very specific look, it was probably easier to filter through agents and casting networks and all that stuff.

MAX: 13:45
Yeah, so she'll get 300 submissions, or I mean, I mean, it could be more submissions, I bet. But uh she the her team work through uh roughly around say 300 submissions from agents and then and then that ends up with 30 people in the room. And what not to do in the room don't don't turn up and be unprepared. And by that she meant, you know, know your material, know it inside and out. There there was there was one rare case where she really knew this guy had talent, this kid, this young kid had talent, could really see him in the role and really wanted him to succeed. I think she said she got up to 16 takes, really nursed him and coached him through that process. That's rare. But generally, yeah, turn it off. Well, he didn't know the material or something, or or what yeah, it wasn't all over the script um and didn't have as much experience. So really what that meant was if you don't have as much experience, well, absolutely prepare, prepare, prepare, and then prepare some more to make up for that. Uh so you can really own the room when you're there and you in in character. So be prepared. I mean, she said that's rare most of the time, most of the time people understand they're coming in for a neighbours audition, there's another 30 people, it's Kirsty McGregor, she's in the room, you you want to turn up and and know your stuff. And most of the time that's what happens. But it's it's but but the worst thing you could do is turn up and you know be holding your script or not know, you know, the the the the the the premise of the whole the context of the scene or any of that sort of stuff. So it was look, it was really informative, it was really interesting. There was a few hundred of us listening, so it was great. It was good to get uh a bit of a QA. So look, there's still stuff happening online, which is exciting. So it's been look, it's been an interesting week. I think I'm I'm working on my next edit for the showreel already and looking forward to getting uh the taking dropped in. I know some agents some casting agents are casting directors. I can't even speak today, I don't know why I'm doing a podcast. Some casting directors are are looking at um at casting networks pages and just working through actors. For example, at Arch Management, they said they're going through alphabetically all our actors, all our talent, just having a look and just taking some notes. They've got a note, they've got a file in everyone. It's like Big Brother, but film style. And that way whoever whoever's in the room, whoever happens to be casting for that particular role, knows you know what a bit more information about the person who's walking in. Um, which is good. So that look, this stuff's still happening, so it's a great reminder to us all to make sure our online profiles are up to date, even if it is just our website or our IMDB or whatever it is, or our casting networks, make sure it all matches, make sure it's all up to date, make sure it's all the latest stuff because people are out there looking at it.

SAM: 16:34
Like the industry is working underneath, yeah. I think more so than people think.

MAX: 16:37
Because that's not waste time. They're like, let's go through and look at the pool of talent we've got out there available so we can update our f and be even faster to fill briefs with lots of prospective talent.

SAM: 16:50
Yeah, they want to cast a lot of stuff now so they can be ready and jump straight into production when it when it when it comes out of this.

MAX: 16:56
Yeah, I hope all the briefs get unlocked soon. It'll be great because uh, you know, oh I think they're already talking about it's it's currently the 22nd of April in Australia and they're talking about relaxing restrictions this week, which is great. Some some restrictions in some states. I know I can go for a swim at the beach now. I just can't sit on the sand. I've got to actually be exercising, so that's okay. So almost feel like I'm I'm human again and normal. So it'll be great when life starts to get back to whatever the new normal looks like. But uh hopefully that's a sign that we're flattened that bloody curve and we're on our way to getting back into work as actors. And the fact that you and I are doing castings and talking to directors and sort of stuff like now, like it goes to show, you know, the the wheels are turning, not as not as not as fast as any of us would like, but they're turning.

SAM: 17:46
Yeah, yeah.

MAX: 17:47
It's still going, it's still working. What else is happening in your world? Anything exciting?

SAM: 17:52
Um besides this this that expression on your face just said it all. Yeah, I know. Besides this um Mulners audition, there's not much in that area. I don't know, like chilling at home is really good. Like, you know, I'm I'm working on stuff and and exercising, like we've said. We've been hanging with a family a lot, we've been playing a lot of games and we played we played Spotlight the other night. Okay. Um, which is for those of you who don't know, it's like generally played outside, but we played it in the house. We turned all the lights off. Someone has to stand in one spot, close their eyes, count to 20, and then use a torch to find everyone. Oh my god. It's a lot of fun.

MAX: 18:32
That's great. That's great. It wouldn't take long to play that in my apartment. Wouldn't take long at all. But uh that's awesome. I love I I can play with Fred, but he always finds me. Uh there's nowhere to hide, right? But uh I I think it's amazing how everyone's turning back to all these old board games and all these old games and stuff. You know, there's only so much bandwidth one can inhale in a day. All the all the Netflix content and everything, as great as it is, fresh stuff dropping all the time. Oh my gosh. Oh, what am I watching at the moment? Um, the Innocence Project stuff. It's a series, it's not called Innocence Project stuff. I can't remember the title, is what I'm trying to say. The In Innocence Project, maybe it could be that simple. But um all these poor people who are committed to jail. One was 20 years before he got out before they recognized that he actually was innocent. And I got the wrong person.

SAM: 19:19
I'm watching The Originals, which is a spin-off from the vampire diaries. Oh, okay. Classic. It's a classic.

MAX: 19:27
Where's that available?

SAM: 19:28
That's very cool. Netflix? That's Netflix.

MAX: 19:31
Okay.

SAM: 19:31
It's very cool. So it's one of those like shit show chick flicks, but so good and hooks you so well that it's good. It's so good.

MAX: 19:42
One that's easy to switch off to, basically. You can park your brain cells and just enjoy what happens.

SAM: 19:46
Yeah, and and I'm into all that mystical stuff, so it's about vampires and all that stuff. Uh-huh. But um I'm into that. Uh yes.

MAX: 19:55
Um wearing a pale shirt with a pale background.

SAM: 19:58
Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Um, no, um what was it? Yes, so it was funny though, vampire diaries, right, which had eight seasons. Eight seasons. I think eight seasons. So Netflix got rid of it a couple years ago or whatever, or a year ago, I don't know when it was. Okay. Got rid of it because of contractual agreements and cost too much to keep it on. And there was this huge uproar, so they put it back.

MAX: 20:23
I love how Netflix do that. It's like when they bought Lucifer and resurrected that for a couple more seasons.

SAM: 20:29
Yeah, yeah, it's very cool. Well, like Brooklyn 99, who let go of Brooklyn 99? NBC has it now, but someone let go of it.

MAX: 20:36
You've been listed at two unemployed actors, I'm Max.

SAM: 20:38
I'm Sam.

MAX: 20:39
And we'll see you next week. Don't forget to like and subscribe. Bye.